Xu Bing Installs Two 12-Ton Birds Made of Construction Equipment at Mass MoCA

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is currently home to a massive sculpture by Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing. The work, aptly titled Phoenix, is made out of an assortment of scraps taken from old construction sites located in China. Two large birds make up the large-scale installation, creating the animals out of steel beams, hard hats, chains, pipes, tanks, tools, and other random objects.

All of the materials are from migrant laborers who were responsible for urban construction sites. It took two years to make the birds, both for collection and assembly. The installations weigh 12 tons and span 90 to 100 feet in length. So yeah, these are some big ass birds.

The sculptures are meant to represent cultural progression as well as a dedication to people who have donated their effort to inspire change in China. The project states: "At once fierce and strangely beautiful, the mythic Phoenixes bear witness to the complex interconnection between labor, history, commercial development, and the rapid accumulation of wealth in today’s China."

Phoenix is now on display, for the very first time at MASS MoCA until October 27, 2013.